Tina Minasian was a dedicated real estate agent in the Roseville and Sacramento area—a job she loved because it allowed her to help others. Known for her passion for playing the ukelele, she would provide entertainment to local veterans’ events. She was deeply involved in the Sacramento veteran’s community where she assisted senior veterans in navigating long-term care. When she decided to undergo elective surgery, she placed her trust in her doctor, confident in his recommendations. Tragically, shortly after her surgery, Tina found herself facing excruciating complications. These complications quickly spiraled into a journey that would lead to a lifetime of pain and unforeseen challenges.
Tina’s post-surgical complications included battling a daunting infection for several months, enduring a painful series of incision reopenings, splitting sutures, swelling, drainage, and relentless pain. Ultimately, she was left with permanent, gaping wounds that would serve as a constant reminder of her ordeal. Shortly after her surgery, her surgeon abruptly closed his medical practice, leaving Tina without medical care and desperate for answers. In her quest for the truth, she made a startling revelation: her doctor had been on probation at the time he mishandled her surgery. The shock didn’t end there; she also discovered that her surgeon was enrolled in a confidential physician diversion program—a state program that allowed substance-abusing doctors to continue practicing while receiving treatment unbeknownst to their patients. Tina’s nightmare exposed the troubling realities of lax physician oversight and ignited her determination to seek justice.
Tina was one of many victims of this surgeon. Some tragically lost their lives. Others, like Tina, managed to survive the ordeal. She took the step that many Californians do when faced with harm: she filed a complaint with the Medical Board of California. Tina firmly believed that the Board would hold her physician accountable, but to her dismay, that was not the case. Though her complaint was closed, the Medical Board did take action on behalf of two other patients. After years of inflicting pain on patients like Tina, the Medical Board finally revoked the surgeon’s license—not for the suffering he caused, but for lying to the Board.
During the public hearings that ultimately led to her surgeon losing his license, Tina learned of the Medical Board’s confidential physician diversion program. She began to attend Medical Board meetings to share the devastating consequences endured by herself and others at the hands of her substance-abusing physician. At these meetings, Tina exposed the troubling fact that her surgeon’s practice monitor in the confidential physician diversion program was not only his office manager, but also his drinking buddy. She brought to light that her surgeon had been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). While driving drunk, Tina’s doctor collided with another car injuring four people. Astonishingly, at the time of his arrest, he was en route to the hospital to attend to a patient. Thanks in part to Tina’s advocacy, the Medical Board voted to shut down the failed diversion program for placing patients at risk.
Tina’s story illustrates the significant challenges families face while seeking accountability from the Medical Board of California – concerns that countless Californians have echoed over the years. As a state government agency, the Medical Board is tasked with a crucial mission: to safeguard the well-being of healthcare consumers in California. Yet, its actions often fall short, putting vulnerable individuals like Tina at risk. This troubling disregard for consumer protection is precisely why so many injured patients, like Tina, are passionately advocating for meaningful change.